by Madeline Glaviano
What is BIZ-FIT?
BIZ-FIT is The College of Business Freshmen Intensive Transition program, designed to expose incoming freshmen to academic curriculum that relates to all programs of study within the College. The program is designed to simulate a typical Finals Week, allowing students to experience the challenges of time management, college academics, and independence without the actual repercussions. By the end of the program, the students will be prepared for their academic, personal, and professional college careers.
Why Do Students Choose BIZ-FIT?
- Gain core skills and knowledge related to The College of Business
• Earn a head start on their academics and college experience
• Develop professional presentation skills and entrepreneurship experience
• Increase study and time management practices to a college level
• Network with The College of Business faculty, staff, and advisers
• Become acquainted with The College of Business resources
What Happens at BIZ-FIT?
The College of Business BIZ-FIT program is created to simulate the most intense and compact college experience that can be drafted. The BIZ-FIT students participate in actual college academics including lectures, discussions, presentations, projects, and assignments. BIZFIT students also experience the professional environment of mock interviews, elevator pitches, internship opportunities, and career planning.
In addition to the program’s focus on academic and professional success, the program highlights the college experience from a student perspective. Current and past Nevada Business students serve as Mentors to the BIZ-FIT participants to provide guidance and support throughout the program. The BIZ-FIT Mentors embody the best and brightest faces within The College of Business, proving to provide intelligent, realistic, and sound advice to incoming freshmen.
How Does BIZ-FIT Benefit Students?
BIZ-FIT has proven to have a positive impact on the academic experience of the students who participate. The data below has been collected to provide an understanding of the impact BIZ-FIT has had over the past semesters.
Spring 2016 | Non-BIZ-FIT | BIZ-FIT Summer 15 |
Total # of Students | 388 | 62 |
Average GPA | 2.826 | 3.069 |
Average Unit Enrollment Spring 16 | 13.7 units | 15.04 |
# Probation Students Fall 15 | 51 (13.1%) | 5 (8.1%) |
# Not Enrolled Spring 16 | 66 (17.0%) | 2 (3.2%) |
# Probation Not Enrolled Spring 16 | 32 (8.2%) | 1 (1.6%) |
The performance of students in The College of Business BIZ-FIT program compared to non-BIZ-FIT students. Data courtesy of The College of Business.
What Do the Experts Say?
“BIZ-FIT was my first college experience and I would not trade it in for anything in the world. BIZ-FIT is where I made the connections for my first job and BIZ-FIT is where I learned how to manage my time in order to balance all the social aspects of college with the academic responsibilities.“ – Madeline Glaviano (Biz-FIT Mentee 2014, Mentor 2015-2017)
“You can always tell who the BIZ-FIT students are once the semester begins – they are familiar with the expectations of the college and stand out in the classrooms. The BIZ-FIT students have the advantage of already knowing the faculty members and tend to be remembered.” – Jeremy Tiedt (Director of Advising, Recruitment, and Retention)
“BIZ-FIT is the place where we see students transform from adolescents to adults. Although it is only a week-long program, it jump starts them for the semesters to come. They enter the semester feeling more confident than their peers who did not attend. We challenge them to find their strengths and to be comfortable standing in their own truths, at the end of this program we see students rise to the challenge and stand out amongst the best.” – Gregrette Perry-Simmons (Academic Advisor, BIZ-FIT Coordinator)
Madeline Glaviano is a recent graduate of the College of Business.